


That Wasn't Meant To Happen

by knitekat



Category: Primeval
Genre: Bingo, Exhaustion, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Major Character Injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-21
Updated: 2015-02-21
Packaged: 2018-03-14 10:06:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3406667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knitekat/pseuds/knitekat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lester is working late and Danny's surprise backfires.</p>
            </blockquote>





	That Wasn't Meant To Happen

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ebonyfeather](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ebonyfeather/gifts).



> Thanks go to Fredbassett for the beta.

Lester rubbed his tired eyes and stared at the report the minister wanted on his desk first thing in the morning. Reports were not normally quite so much trouble for him, but this time he had to minimise the damage caused by his team while not being caught actually lying to the man. He was just too bloody tired to think and he'd already been forced to delete half the report when his sarcasm had run riot. The minister would not have appreciated those home truths and the man wasn't known for his sense of humour, as Christine had found out to her misfortune. 

He shook his head, as pleasant as those memories were they were not conducive to getting this bloody report written before it was too late for him to even consider going home. At this rate he might be better off sleeping in one of the ARC bunk-rooms and wearing his spare suit tomorrow. 

Lester jerked awake when his head dropped, and he rubbed at his eyes again. He wasn't going to get anything done if he fell asleep at his desk. He rose, wincing as his muscles protested as he stretched, and headed off to the kitchen for a coffee. It might make sleeping difficult tonight but he had to finish the report, he could always drink copious amounts tomorrow, at least until Lorraine cut him off for snarking at someone and then teamed up with Jenny in an attempt to send him home. But that was something to worry about tomorrow or, he glanced at the clock, make that later today. 

He shook his head as his musings before remembering he was supposed to be making himself a coffee. Fuck, he was tired. He almost tripped over the folder he'd knocked on the floor earlier, bloody hell, he needed to sleep. It was unfortunate that he wasn't going to get any for some while and he needed that bloody coffee now.

***

Once he had the kettle on and had doubled his normal amount of coffee spooned into his mug, Lester held the tin under his nose, inhaling the aroma in the hope it would keep him awake. He sighed when the kettle clicked off and started to pour it when he felt arms wrap around him from behind.

The sudden contact had Lester yelling out, the kettle jolted and he screamed as boiling water sloshed out of the spout and over his hand. He cried out “Fuck!” as he dropped the kettle, more scalding water splashing out over his trousers and shoes. Lester tried to hop backwards only to find his retreat halted by the solid chest behind him. 

“Fuck!” Danny's well-known voice cried out. “Sorry, James. That wasn't what I meant to happen.”

Lester growled out through gritted teeth, “That's good to know.” He supposed he was wide awake now, but he could think of better ways for it to have happened. 

“Come here.” Danny tugged Lester towards the sink, holding Lester's hand beneath the cold tap. “Keep that there,” he instructed as his arms reached around Lester's waist and he began to undo Lester's trousers.

“Danny! What the fuck are you doing?” Lester tried to escape his lover's grip. “This is not the time for this, Danny.”

“What?” Danny asked before chuckling. “Much as I'd love to, James, I need to check your legs and feet for scalds.”

“Ah,” Lester murmured. “Yes.” He still blushed slightly when his trousers were expertly dropped around his ankles and Danny's hands gently explored his skin. “Ouch!” 

“Sorry.” 

Danny rose and grabbed a teacloth from the side, wetting it beneath another cold tap before wrapping it around Lester's throbbing leg. And bloody hell, was it throbbing. He watched as Danny drenched another cloth and wound it around his hand. 

“Come on, let’s get you to the infirmary.” Danny wrapped an arm around Lester's waist.

“One slight problem,” Lester muttered. 

“What?” Danny asked. “You need to get these scalds treated.”

“Danny, my trousers are around my ankles,” Lester pointed out. “Unless you want to cause me more injuries, could you please do something about them?”

“Right.” Danny looked thoughtful before he knelt down again. “Can you balance yourself?”

“Danny?” Lester asked confused, surely he didn't need to just to have his trousers pulled back up.

“I need to take them off, James.” Danny explained patiently. “You've got scalds and I don't think the tea towel will stay on with your trousers on. Besides that, they've got to come off for you scalds to be treated.”

“If you think I'm going to walk about the ARC in my boxers...” Lester started before Danny just looked up at him. “Fine.” He rested his good hand on Danny's shoulder and allowed his lover to remove his shoes and trousers. 

“Don't worry, guv.” Danny leaned in as he stood up and wrapped an arm around Lester's waist once more. “I'll delete the footage.”

***

“Duncan!” Lester cringed and tried to pull free when Danny's cry reminded him that the on-call medic would be in the infirmary. “Come on, James.” Danny tugged Lester into the infirmary.

“Danny?” Duncan came out of the office, his eyes widening as he took in Lester's state on undress. “What the hell?”

“Lester's been scalded,” Danny informed the medic as both men helped Lester onto the examination table.

Lester scowled at Danny. “If you hadn't surprised me, I wouldn't have been.”

“Sorry, Ja...” Danny paused before continuing, “Guv.”

Lester rolled his eyes at Danny before noticing the quickly-smothered grin of the medic. He groaned and not from the pain radiating through his hand as the medic prodded it carefully, but then, he should have known that what he had with Danny wasn't exactly a secret. 

“Can you give him something for the pain?” Danny asked, a look of concern on his face. 

“Of course,” Duncan murmured as he patted Lester on the arm before injecting him with pain killer.

Lester sighed as the relief flowed through his body, and he drifted as the combination of his lack of sleep, the ebbing of adrenaline and the pain relief overcame his ability to remain awake. He mumbled as his hand was jolted before coolness replaced the remnants of pain.

***

Lester woke the next morning, blinking as he realised he was in the infirmary. What the hell? He lifted a hand to his forehead, wincing as it throbbed and he stared at the bandage around it as memory returned.

“Feeling better, guv?” Danny asked as he hovered in the open doorway. When Lester just glared at him, Danny stepped into the room and caught his uninjured hand. “I'm sorry, James. I meant to surprise you and...” He shrugged. “I didn't mean to hurt you.” Danny tried his most pitiful expression on Lester. “I really am sorry, James.”

Lester sighed, he knew it had been an accident but... that didn't mean he couldn't make Danny suffer for a while. He glanced at the clock before remembering something else. “Fuck!”

“James? Does your hand hurt?” Danny asked, half-turning to call out for the medic. 

“What?” Lester looked at him for a moment, taking in his lover's concerned expression. “No,” he winced when his hand throbbed. “Yes.” He shook his head. “I've got to finish that report.”

“No you don't, James.” Jenny's voice came from the doorway. “I've called the minister and explained things. He's agreed to give you more time and meanwhile, I will write it. You can check it before signing it off.” She smiled at them. “Get some rest, James.” She shot a look at Danny. “And look after him, Danny. No more surprises.”

“Yes, Jenny,” Danny murmured. 

Lester's lips twitched at the sound of his contrite lover, he knew he would – had – forgiven Danny, but there was no reason for him to know that yet. “I'm perfectly capable of doing my own work, Jenny.”

“No, James,” Jenny informed him firmly. “Once Lorraine brings your spare suit, Danny is going to take you home to recuperate.” 

Lester opened his mouth to argue before he caught the identical looks on Jenny's and Danny's faces. He sighed softly, knowing when he was beaten and surrendered with ill-grace. “Fine,” he growled. “But I want to see that draft as quickly as possible.”

“Yes, James.” 

Jenny murmured and Lester knew he was being humoured, but, as he glanced over at Danny, he had to admit that going home with his lover instead of staying at work was appealing. Just this once.


End file.
